By Kim J. Harmon

Judging from the first few batters, it certainly  seemed as if New Fairfield, the defending CIAC Class M champion, had Cathy Byrne’s number. With a leadoff triple from Karen Cleary and RBI doubles by Alison Pardalis and Clare Davey, the Rebels had staked a quick 2-0 lead on one of the best pitchers in the South-West Conference.

But that was all the blood the Rebels would draw. Byrne settled down – way down – and allowed just two hits over the final 62/3  innings as the Nighthawks rallied for a thrilling 3-2 win to lift their overall record to 3-3.

Byrne also whiffed 11 batters along the way, bringing her remarkeable season total to 68.

New Fairfield nursed its 2-0 lead into the bottom of the third when the Nighthawks finally struck gold. Kate Bouteiller started off the rally with a one-out single to shallow left field and reached second by beating out an attempted force play at second on Byrne’s infield grounder. Kristin Caposella then singled to load the bases.

Kristen Bandura stepped to the plate and didn’t even need to take the bat off her shoulders to drive in her team-leading fifth RBI. She was plunked with a pitch, cutting the New Fairfield lead to 2-1 and re-stocking the bases. Although Byrne was later forced out at home on an infield grounder by Lauren Blomberg, Heather Morgan earned a walk to force in another run and tie the score at 2-2.

An inning later, the ‘Hawks went ahead – for good.

Jaime Lindquist led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center. Lauren McCusker sacrificed Lindquist to second and Bouteiller grounded to short for the second out of the inning. Byrne then aided her own cause by singled to centerfield, bringing Lindquist around from second with the winning run.

Lindquist, though, was injured on the play (a sprain, which will keep her out at least a week) as she was forced to leap over the catcher’s glove in order to reach home.

“There are only two players on this team that I would have sent home on that play,” said coach Paul LaFrancesca. “Jaime, our fastest player, was obviously one of them. She was our player of the game.”

The Newtown rally was killed when a line drive off the bat of Caposella was snared by Pardalis at shortstop. Caposella, however, did collect her second hit of the game (the only ‘Hawk with two hits in the contest) in the bottom of the sixth.

The ‘Hawks made just one error in the game and out-hit the Rebels 7-5.

The ‘Hawks were scheduled for a trip down to New Milford on Wednesday and then were slated to host Jonathan Law on Friday at 7 pm. The ‘Hawks will then travel to Stratford on Saturday for an 11 am contest at Shortt Beach Field.

The following week – thanks to the abysmal weather of the past week – will feature four games in four days with Masuk (Tuesday), Notre Dame (Wednesday), Bunnell (Thursday) and Immaculate (Friday) all on the schedule.